Cyclone Vayu
Super Cyclonic Storm Vayu, also known as simply Cyclone Vayu, was a catastrophic and extremely deadly tropical cyclone that caused widespread loss of life and destruction in Somalia, especially Mogadishu. A part of the hyperactive 2018-19 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Vayu developed from an area of low pressure east of the coast of Somalia on March 6th. The storm tracked east towards the country, slowly intensifying along the way. Vayu then tracked along the coast of the country, intensifying and bringing historic rainfall and storm surges with him. The cyclone then performed a loop before making landfall near Mogadishu as a Category 5 cyclone, before his remains exited back into the sea, briefly regenerated and dissipated completely on March 17. In Mogadishu and its surroundings, the cyclone dropped over 50 inches of rainfall while stalling just off the coast. A 36 foot (11 meter) storm surge swept across coastal parts of the city, flooding numerous houses. Along with that, the storm's powerful winds destroyed buildings, caused massive waves, and killed hundreds in the city. However, the most damage occurred when the cyclone made landfall as a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. 190 mph winds blew entire buildings off their foundations and killed thousands. Despite this, the most damage occurred when over 80 inches of rainfall fell around the city and near the Shebelle and Jubba rivers. This along with the storm surge caused both of the river to overfill and flood the surrounding flatlands. The floods killed over a hundred thousand people and demolished hundreds of communities and villages, along with flooding a part of Mogadishu, already devastated prior by the same cyclone. Overall, the storm caused almost 115 thousand deaths and 17 billion dollars in damage. This makes is the costliest tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean, the 8th deadliest tropical cyclone ever observed and the 3rd deadliest named tropical cyclone (behind Super Typhoon Nina of 1975 and Cyclone Nargis of 2008). Meteorological history Vayu originated from an area of low pressure located roughly 120 miles (193 km) off the coast of Somalia. The area moved over warmer waters on March 6, and the India Meteorological Department began watching the area on the same day for potential development. Over warm waters and with low wind shear, the low quickly organized, and the IMD classified it as a tropical depression on the same day. The depression remained over warm waters as it moved towards the coast of Somalia. On March 7th, it was upgraded to a tropical storm, and was assigned the name of Vayu. On the next day, Vayu underwent a period of rapid intensification as it moved over even warmer waters, with low wind shear. It quickly developed a large, 70 mile wide eye, before the eye contracted, a sign of intensification. Soon after hitting its initial peak, the storm changed directions while just off-coast of Somalia, paralleling it while affecting Mogadishu and its surrounding area for many days. On March 8, the storm began to track away from coast, its winds intensifying further. Vayu peaked while in middle of performing the loop, with winds of over 195 mph and a pressure of 889 mBar. As the storm completed its loop, it underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, which weakened it to a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Right afterwards, the storm made landfall near Mogadishu as a Category 4 with winds of 155 mph and a pressure of 899, one of the lowest pressures ever observed in a Category 4 storm. The landfall significantly weakened the storm, as it travelled in an arc near the coast and above Mogadishu. Vayu exited land over Mogadishu as a tropical storm, before traveling away from coast and weakening to a tropical depression. Soon after, the storm briefly intensified to a low-end tropical storm, but right afterwards it encountered wind shear, which ripped its western side apart. Vayu slowed down to a tropical depression, still moving eastwards. High wind shear rapidly destroyed the storm, and Vayu transformed into a remnant low on March 16. It fully transformed to a simple cluster of thunderstorms on March 17. Impact Mogadishu The storm affected Mogadishu for many days with powerful winds and heavy rain, causing heavy destruction. Winds blew roofs off buildings, uprooted trees, picked up and tossed cars around and destroyed most windows in the city. Entire blocks of building were leveled with the ground. A man died from electrocution after water flooded his house and submerging his television. Three people died after their house was leveled with the ground. A truck was flung into a school gym, killing roughly 150 teens and 7 teachers who hid there. The entire city's power grid was destroyed, making it hard to communicate with and save people. Floods killed hundreds in the city, and destroyed millions of dollars worth of property. TBD Shebelle and Jubba river floods TBD Category:Cyclones Category:Future storms Category:Future storms Category:North Indian Ocean Cyclones Category:Destructive Cyclones Category:Deadly Cyclones